Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Lost in the Hodgepodge at Eagle Lookout


 The one lonely sunflower that grew from the appx. 20 seeds I planted.


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1. When was the last time you relocated? Did you move yourself or leave it to the professionals? Are you happy staying put or is there a move in your future? Best thing about moving to a new city or town? Least favorite and/or hardest thing about moving house?


We moved to our present location 27 years ago.  I doubt that there are many up here in NW Wisconsin who have professionals move them. A couple pickup trucks, a couple of sons, a trailer, several trips from there to here, and it's done.  I like staying put unless I had the option of moving to Yorkshire for a year or two. I'd jump at that chance. I've little experience with moving to a new city or town, but we did move to Lancaster County, PA for part of a year and the best thing was all the historical sites we could access from that location. It's a beautiful part of the country, and one can never get too much Gettysburg.

The hardest thing would be...unpacking (trying to find things)....or in our case after 27 years in one place, the most difficult thing would be getting rid of 27 years' accumulation and keeping just the essentials. Neither Mr. C. nor I are good at determining which are the essentials.

 The 'girls,' camping out in the screen room
Peek!


2. When were you last 'moved to tears'? Explain.

I'm not much of a crier, but it brought tears to my eyes and a catch in my throat when I got off the phone with our daughter and was relaying to Mr. C. that she got to MEET, IN PERSON, the long-time-much-admired tenor Jose Carreras, at La Scala in Milan the end of July. I could feel how thrilled she was. (And that's another thing: I love the technology that allows our daughter to phone us from a train in Italy to our vehicle in Wisconsin, to give us the news.) Brings tears to my eyes even now, just remembering that conversation.


Redneck Fireworks

Since it was my birthday celebration last weekend, it gave the 'boys' an excuse to shoot off fireworks. And now I'm going to cram in a bunch of photos I took over the weekend.






Awwwww...

3. Do you have rules about eating in the car...any forbidden foods? What's the last thing you consumed in your car? Your go-to car snack when traveling long distance?

If we had rules about eating in the car, it would be no eating ice cream or ketchup. I think the last thing I ate in the car was a bag of pistachios. When we travel long distance, we take peppers, carrots, cheese, chips or crackers, and Pure Protein bars.

 Angry Bird...Happy Boy

4. Share a favorite song relating to cars and/or driving.

'Riding Along in My Automobile...with no particular place to go'.  AND The Beach Boys' 'Fun, Fun, Fun til Her Daddy Takes the T-Bird Away.' Okay, so I don't think I've listened to any popular music for a very long time. It's not my thing.


Ray Charles of the Bird World
Cedar Waxwings
 
5. What's your most frequently visited drive-thru...Starbucks? the bank? the pharmacy? some other window?


I doubt that I would visit a Starbucks drive-thru even if there were one within a hundred miles of our home. I grind my own coffee beans, and if I'm going to pay for anything, it's going to be the beans, not for who-knows-who putting coffee I don't like anyway into a styrofoam cup and charging me exorbitant prices for it. Just sayin.'



6. "He who hesitates is lost"...would you agree? When it comes to making decisions do you generally act quickly or do you more often than not fall into the 'lost' category?

I guess I would say, 'He who hesitates might possibly be lost, or maybe not.'  Example: I was in Colfax the other day at a little antique shop and there sat the cutest little green Depression glass sugar bowl. It has the straight lines that I like in green Depression glass. Nothing fancy. I thought about buying it...$14.95, but then, until I had walked into the shop, I didn't know the thing existed...so how badly could I possibly need it, right? I decided to wait until the next time I'm in the shop, which might be a month or so from now. If it's still there, I'll buy it, maybe. Then again, I might push it out a couple more months - or just completely write it off. I mean, it's not like I have a bleeding wound that NEEDS a bandage, right?!  But it sure is cute! 

Generally speaking though, I tend to make decisions quickly. Fare alert, eBay, Craig's list, what to order at a restaurant, etc.

 Watching Daddy and Grandpa working on the porch


7. When was the last time you got lost? Was it stressful or an unexpected happy adventure?

I don't remember the last time I was lost.  Being lost would never be a happy adventure for me, unless I were lost somewhere in the Yorkshire Dales (on a sunny day), had an extra bottle of water, a beautiful Yorkshire/Scottish Blackface Sheep or two walking beside me, a German Shepherd Dog (who'd been trained to leave the sheep alone) for additional company, and I just happened to have a cell phone, a compass, and a map in my pocket.



I want to get out on some of the many back roads of Wisconsin this summer, but if I go alone, I'm taking a Wisconsin atlas. There are too many roads, the state is big, and there are coyotes, wolves, and bears. True, I'd be in a car. Anyway, I'm thinking about getting a Wisconsin atlas and gazetteer through Amazon, for although I'm usually pretty good about sensing cardinal directions, it would be possible to drive a long way and run out of gasoline before finding my way home. There are so many interesting, winding roads.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.


It's always a thrill when eagles land in the pine tree north of the driveway.  Sunday morning there were two of them. I think our daughter, the one whose family was 'camping' in the screen room of the porch, heard an unusual sound and looked up...There were the eagles, perched atop the huge spruce. They were in no rush to leave. One of them was there again yesterday morning. I saw him when I took Misty out at 7:30 AM and when I went back out to go to the garden at 10:00 AM, he was still there.

Ready for lift off


The family fisherman

Voted 'Most Cheerful Child'

Mr. C. and Bobby, my cousin from Montana
It was wonderful to get to spend time with her!
Breakfast, Mr. C.'s speciality


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64 comments:

Theresa said...

Great hodgepodge of questions AND answers:) AND so many cute pictures! Love that sweet little bright eyed girl! Have a blessed day dear Judy, HUGS!

Marla said...

I love all your pictures! Beautiful family!

Linda said...

I always enjoy your posts and photos...thanks for the smiles. Blessings

Arlene G said...

Happy Birthday Judy!! So nice that you had a celebration including fireworks!! Loved seeing the photos of your family and what an honor for your daughter in Italy.

eileeninmd said...

Hello Judy, Happy Birthday! You have a beautiful family, I love all the cute photos of the kiddies and your sweet dog. I enjoyed reading the questions and your answers. I am always checking out the fare alerts. It is awesome having those eagles so close by and I love the pretty Waxwings. Have a happy day!

Joyce said...

So pretty where you live and I love the Eagle pics. We are always on the lookout for Eagles. Looks like you had some wonderful family time!

Trace4J said...

What a beautiful family you have.
Your photos are always wonderful and make me smile.
Woolie Blessings

Cheryl said...

You can pack a lot of fun stuff in a Hodge Podge post!! Of course, the family pictures are the best! Such sweet faces. You must be on sweetness overload with that cheerful little grand girl camping at your house!

Your description of the cedar waxwing made me laugh out loud! :D

podso said...

LOL I agree with you about your antique shop experience… A wise way to shop. I've left a few things lately that I thought I'd need and probably haven't given them much of a thought since. Great photos! And your screen room looks wonderful.

Joanne Noragon said...

My friend in Wisconsin has lived there almost twenty years. In the beginning she used a Wisconsin map, now she knows the alphabet tangle that is your county roads. Or she says "I've never been on this road; lets see where it goes."

Elizabeth Edwards said...

such sweet shots. i love those faces. i have not seen much from angry birds lately. a while back when we would go camping we would see little kids with their pjs, toys, towels all with them every where. maybe it is a minion thing now. minions are every where. movies & even on TP. ha. ha!! i find it fun to see what kids like ... i like pound puppies, star bright, barbies, what else? i guess times are always changing aren't they? hope you are well. take care. ( :

Linda Kay said...

Judy, great thoughts to share this morning! You have really addressed the hodgepodge with your wonderful pictures. The first one is so clear and lovely!

Debby Ray said...

It's always fun reading your Hodge Podge, Judy....and as alwaas, great photos to accompany your Q & A. I hope your week is going well!

MadSnapper said...

all of your photos today are awesome, the family fotos are my favorite, the campers are precious and all the family are wonderful memories captured in time. kisses to Jazzie nose and before i married The Anchor 30 years ago, i have never lived in one house more than 2 years, and i love to move really love to move. we have been in this house 26 years and i have begged to move. i finally gave up because we are to old to deal with it.
I have never been lost, i love using an Atlas and fear the new eletronics are going to ruin that for the users and if they have no phone or unit they will be lost for ever. but i do agree with you it is fantastic to be able to talk from train to car. amazing in fact.

Margaret Birding For Pleasure said...

That was an interesting read. My favourite photos were Jazzie adn the Ray charles Waxwing. Lovely photos of all you family.

21 Wits said...

Now that's one very cool place to camp! I always enjoy reading about and seeing all your fun family outings and times shared together. Great long lasting memories for you all.

The Cranky said...

What a perfect Hodgepodge, and a Happy Birthday to you... mine was on Monday!

Jane@Bluebird1959 said...

Loved the Hodge podge! Ray Charles made me smile. Have a wonderful day! Jane

Michelle said...

Great photographs and your answers were great. From the Hodgepodge

Debby@Just Breathe said...

Love the camp out photo! I keep saying I want to spend a year living in the UK and hope that I can someday. Love, love, love the bird in the pine tree. How exciting to see the Eagles. I remember my first time and it was amazing!

Carla from The River said...

I love the Girls Camp Out photo. Your daughter is so pretty!!
It is also great to see the photos of Bobby. I am so happy she was able to visit.
Carla

Nikki said...

The hard part is unpacking and all the mess from the moving truck, it's like the trucker guys toss all your stuff on the driveway and leave. The hardest for me was moving nearly 500 miles from where I lived my first 20 years and making new friends.

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

I always love learning even more about you. It would be hard to answer some of these questions...I would still be pondering! lol Love the photo of you looking so slender and pretty! Enjoy your day! Hugs, Diane

Tammy Enjoy Life said...

Awesome pictures! Happy Birthday!

The Joy of Home with Martha Ellen said...

Great photography, Judy. I love your sense of humor. I laughed out loud on the cedar waxwing thought! It's lovely at your home with family--the best! Now I must comment on that great map in your kitchen! Fantastic. Can't forget the Yorkshire references---♥

Elizabeth "Libby" Day said...

So enjoyed visiting with you in Wisconsin today from the hot and humid deep south. Loved the pictures, especially those adorable grand-babies. What a thrill to enjoy eagles from your front porch. Amazing!

carrie@northwoods scrapbook said...

I always love reading your answers Judy! And I love seeing your photos - so beautiful! I'm with you - let's go get lost in Europe. That would be fun! ;)

I love your coffee grinder too - so cool! And that waxwing photo and caption cracked me up!! Ha!

Blessings on the rest of your week lovely Lady. xo

Cheryl said...

I love your pics! Redneck fireworks are the best as long as no one gets hurt! haha

Nonnie said...

Your family, your blog and your photos are all so enjoyable to look over. Amazing place to live. Your scenery there is beautiful! Starbucks really is a rip-off.

Hannah said...

Quite the quiz, I enjoyed your answers and stamina. I can tell you had a happy birthday with the cute grandkids visiting and the celebrations. Fun photos. Moving is something I think about a lot, it would be quite a hassle after 21 years living here.

Lowcarb team member said...

Judy - what a brilliant post, lovely read and such great photo's, thank you for sharing.

Belated Birthday Wishes too

All the best Jan

TexWisGirl said...

a sweet bunch of family! :) love the 'camping' shot. and go wausau pd! :)

tlcukjourney said...

Well hello my friend!
How are you?
27 years is a very long time to live in one place!
And I have to say, you look absolutely fantastic in your last photo! Must be all that terrific soap :)
Aren't you going to England soon? The kids and I just got back from there, we were there for 2 months!
Anyway, we will have to catch up!
Much love,
Tammy xx

Michelle said...

Lovely shots of your family and I love the Cedar Waxwing. What a beautiful bird.

Lisa @ Two Bears Farm said...

That's a LOT of fish! Love the coffee grinder and the family photos. And your sunflower is beautiful.

Judith @ Lavender Cottage said...

The hodgepodge posts are always fun to read and leave an opening for various things to comment on. I was grinding our coffee beans too until the kids bought us a Keurig and now we use it every morning, something that I likely wouldn't have purchased myself.
At our age we have collected so many pretties over the years and have come to realize it's time to justify bringing something else home - not so easy though! I like the bloggers that say when something new comes into the house, something has to go...
Enjoyed your family photos (including the furry sniffer).

Deb said...

Hi Judy: It's always fun to see the family here and get a peek at your celebrations. My goodness, your property is so beautiful. Love all the photos but I have a soft spot in my heart for Happy Boy. I always love to see his darling face. You look wonderful and "Happy Birthday" to you. Hope it is a year filled with all the things you love. Jazzie is your old dog but not your oldest dog, I believe. Hope they are both doing well. Sending a hug from Ontario. Deb

Anonymous said...

Oh, this was a great post. Loved reading about you and you have a beautiful family too. The longest we've ever lived any where was 18 years! 27 years is really a long time. You do live in such a beautiful area! Just loved it. Thank you so much for popping in to see me.
be a sweetie,
Shelia;)

Chatty Crone said...

Was that you in pink in one of the bottom pictures - I don't think I have ever seen you - you are beautiful! Love your photos. Your grands have the most beautiful innocent eyes. And Starbucks - not for 100 miles! You have lived there a long time like us.

Terri D said...

It was another very fun Hodgepodge, but I enjoyed all your photos so much!!

Karen @ Beatrice Euphemie said...

Fun questionnaire and answers and loved all the cute photos! I actually got lost one dark rainy night in a nearby town! Turns out I was going in circles - that about sums me up :) xo Karen

Maureen @ Josephina Ballerina said...

Judy, it was your birthday! We wish you many happys this year. Other friend Judy in New Jersey haz goat who is pregnant. We are not sure when blessed event is due to occur. We could probably talk our friend Jersey Judy out of a kid as a belated birthday present for you. Best way for you to bond with it would be to bottle feed it every few hours round the clock for several weeks. You know the old routine. You will have many funs and after a few weeks, a goat who will follow you absolutely everywhere! Sorta like the gift that keeps on giving. No, no special thanks necessary...
:) m & jb

GreenComotion said...

The first photo, the Sunflower, is brilliant.
The other photos are very nice as well, especially Mr. Ray Charles of the Avian kind :)
I love your animals. They are awesome to hang out with, aren't they?
Happy Belated Birthday!
Have a Beautiful Day!!
Peace :)

EG CameraGirl said...

Only one sunflower? What a disappointment but at least the one is very pretty. You have a nice looking family. Very cute photos.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Judy, that was so fun! Such beautiful photos. But I want to hear more about the screen room -- with that view, I don't think I'd ever leave it!

Sunny Simple Life said...

Looks so beautiful there and beautiful family too!!

This N That said...

Cute kids..Great shot of the Eagle..Love the first photo..Enjoy your day..

Stephanie said...

Sweet friend, your photos are gorgeous and full of summer fun :) Thanks for sharing your delightful time with us. Hugs!

Tired Teacher said...

The photo of the girls in the screened porch is precious!

Liz@ HomeandGardeningWithLiz said...

Interesting questions and answers. Great photos- too bad you didn't get more sunflowers. I bet some bird ate the seeds! I should plant them too since I love to see them and they're usually pretty easy to grow. The birds fine the seeds and rob them sunflower in no time though! Have a great weekend! Liz

maddie/cadesmimi said...

Your answers and photographs were all delightful. Your family and your surroundings are both beautiful. I could look at your pictures all day :)

Kathy (from Reflections by Kathy)

Pamela Gordon said...

Wonderful post and I enjoyed all the answers to the questions. We think alike in a lot of things!! :) Have a wonderful weekend.

bj said...

Really good post...enjoyed it all.
Your photos are so good.

Ida said...

Well that was fun. - You did a great job answering those questions. I enjoyed the photos, the Fireworks sounded like a fun way to celebrate your birthday. - I enjoyed the photos. You have a nice looking family. The shot with the sheep was really nice.

Unknown said...

I loved reading this my friend. Awesome photos of the family...so glad everyone had a great time and the weather wasn't too bad.
We need to go to Cabin Coffee for a belated birthday coffee.

Judy S. said...

Love the family photos, Judy, as well as the eagle one. Sure hope it didn't have an eye on any chickens! Hope you're having a nice summer. I can't believe that my GK go back to school next week!

Debbie said...

you may have only gotten one but boy it was a beauty. i have lived in the same town my entire life, except for when i went away to nursing school!! you have a beautiful family and you're not so bad lookin' yourself!!!

Anita Johnson said...

Another great set of questions and answers. I need an atlas AND a GPS. I have no sense of direction, especially on the winding roads in the farm country. I haven't mentioned it yet on my blog, but we are moving about 15 minutes from our current home. Yes, we have accumulated way too much over the years too. We are calling this our last great adventure...I'll be sharing photos next month. Speaking of photos, yours are so cute...such fun grandchildren!

Denise said...

enjoyed this.

Wendy said...

Great post and lovely pictures. Hope you had a great birthday.

Lady Linda said...

Absolutely beautiful pictures. Your family is lovely.

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Love the family time, you take great people pictures ... I Am so bad at that! A breakfast- cooking husband is a Treasure!

Deb @ Frugal Little Bungalow said...

Your lonely sunflower reminded me of my zinnias this year. I think that I got 5 out of TWO seed packets!!

Michelle said...

I can't remember the last time I saw an eagle.
Maybe when I was a lot younger. xoxo

p.s. I'm going through my emails to see what I have missed :)

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